South Africa 21 New Zealand 26:While some may believe that New Zealand's 26-21 Tri-Nations victory against South Africa on Saturday confirms their status as overwhelming favourites for the World Cup this autumn, the Kiwis coach, Graham Henry, believes that no such psychological points were gained.
Two tries in the space of three minutes against a badly tiring Springboks in Durban overturned a nine-point deficit and put the All Blacks in the box seat to claim a third successive Tri-Nations title. But, for Henry, that is as far as it goes.
"It's a good start for us in the Tri-Nations," he said, "but it won't make any difference to what happens in the World Cup. They (the All Blacks) won the 1999 and 2003 Tri-Nations and didn't win the World Cup."
The suspicion that New Zealand peaked too soon in those previous campaigns spawned a plan to withdraw their leading players from the first seven rounds of Super 14 and the benefits were obvious here as they raced past their hosts in the final 15 minutes. South Africa had taken advantage in Super 14 to provide both finalists, but they paid the price here.
The All Blacks trailed two tries to nil and 21-12 with 11 minutes remaining and many other teams might have surrendered. "A lot of how a team goes is not so much gameplans but what you've got in the left chest - the belief is what makes a team function really well," said captain Richie McCaw. "It would have been easy to drop our heads at (Butch James') intercept try but we just got on with the job."
That included McCaw picking and surging over from a five-metre ruck after a succession of quick recycles before an All Black hack forward was fumbled and Joe Rokocoko picked up the pieces to scamper in untouched.
Both coaches agreed that New Zealand's fitness and South Africa's fatigue in the last quarter played a crucial part.
"Conditioning helped us, these guys have put a lot of work in physically," said Henry
McCaw said his team had to weather a storm before they could think of winning. "The Boks started off with huge physical presence and really got stuck in, but we realised we had to hang in there because our chances would come," said McCaw.
"We realised that if we could up the tempo they might run out of legs and we would get our opportunities."
South African coach Jake White agreed with the New Zealanders and said an intense match schedule had taken its toll on his side.
"It's a disappointment for us," White said. "The All Blacks never gave up, and there was no doubt that when they upped the ante in the last 20 minutes we were found wanting. Anyone watching that game could see that we have played for seven weeks in succession."
All the home side had to show for their early efforts was a pair of penalties by fullback Percy Montgomery and scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar.
The All Blacks gradually ground their way upfield, and outhalf Daniel Carter was able to level the scores at 6-6 with three minutes left in the first half.
South Africa fought back in the final throes of the first half and flanker Schalk Burger was driven over to score seconds before the siren sounded.Aaron Mauger reeled in three points for New Zealand with a drop goal but had a hand in South Africa's second try when his pop pass settled in the hands of James, who hared away to score.
SOUTH AFRICA: P Montgomery; A Willemse, J Fourie, J de Villiers, JP Pietersen; B James, R Pienaar; O du Randt, G Botha, BJ Botha, B Botha, V Matfield, S Burger, D Rossouw, B Skinstad. Replacements: F Steyn and P Wannenburg for James and Skinstad (53 mins), W Olivier and J Muller for Willemse and B Botha (66 mins).
NEW ZEALAND: M Muliaina; J Rokocoko, I Toeava, A Mauger, S Sivivatu; D Carter, B Kelleher; T Woodcock, A Oliver, C Hayman, T Flavell, G Rawlinson, J Collins, R McCaw, R So'oialo. Replacements: R Filipo for Rawlinson (48 mins), K Mealamu for Oliver (52 mins).
Referee: A Rolland (Ire).
